In a demonstration of cross-government cooperation, Highland Park's city and park district officials are looking to split the cost to replace a popular lakefront staircase at Central Park that's been closed for four years due to structural problems.

Though the cost is significantly more than a previous estimate of $600,000, elected officials from both bodies came to a unanimous consensus last week to move forward with one of the options presented by consultant SmithGroupJJR.

The option selected carries an estimated $871,000 price tag and would feature three landings for walkers to stop and enjoy the scenery.

The stairs join the eastern end of Central Avenue with the Park District's boat launch — a 74-foot vertical drop down a bluff. They were a popular destination for walkers, joggers and exercisers before they were closed for safety reasons in 2009, officials said.

"The stairs were utilized on a frequent if not constant basis, 12 months a year," said City Councilman James Kirsch, noting that boys and girls track teams from Highland Park and Deerfield high schools would train there. He called the structure an exercise attraction for the community, not just means for boaters and yacht club members to access the water.

"This is a natural draw," Kirsch said. "It's one of the great treasures that we have in this community."

SmithGroupJJR presented two designs for the replacement stairs. The first option, not chosen, was a zigzagging path down the bluff, said Patrick Brawley, the firm's landscape architect.

The other provided three legs, joined by two circular landings, that created a longer walk but a smaller price tag. The cost differential is due to the need for fewer pilings to stabilize stairway landings where they change direction, Brawley said.

Officials also opted for a combination of wood and steel materials, which is more costly but boasts a 30-year life span that is twice as long as an all-wood option. Steel grated flooring also provides more traction for walkers and less maintenance than wood, Brawley said.

The key to creating a longer life span for the new structure is in the 30-foot pilings that would stabilize the staircase, as opposed to the 6- to 8-foot foundation on the previous one, he added.

"The bluff is a moving and evolving species, essentially, living along the coast," Brawley said. "It moves and shifts with time and temperature and seasons."

The zigzagging alternative included a $1.15 million option for steel and wood, as well as a $1.1 million all-wood option. A wood-only version of the second alternative was estimated to cost $792,000, according to statistics provided to the park board and city council.

Scott Meyers, park board president, said the park district would provide ongoing maintenance once the staircase is built, including snow removal.

Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering noted that the costs were more than originally estimated but that the project is worthwhile.

"To me the issue really is that we're trying to create a connection and improving the connection of our community to the lakefront," Rotering said. "It's one of our greatest assets."

Others opted to move forward as quickly as possible to get the project through the city approval process in order to finish the stairs by the summer of 2014.

Kirsch argued that this year is optimal for the stairs' construction, since the park district's boat launch is scheduled to be closed this summer to accommodate a construction project at the adjacent water-treatment plant.

"If we don't get some traction on it now, we're going to miss next summer too," he said.